SUPERVISION by adults in and out of the house is paramount. Always know where your children are. Around water, stay close while maintaining constant eye contact and never leave a child unattended even for a second. Never assume someone else is watching your child. At social gatherings, designate an adult water watcher. If your child is missing, always check the pool first. Keep toilet lids closed and locked. Remove all buckets as babies can fall in head first. Never leave a child unattended in the bath. Ensure that each caregiver understands the importance of all safety precautions.

BARRIERS leading to the pool or anybody of water must be installed AND maintained. Capabilities of toddlers change daily. Today they sit, tomorrow they crawl. Toddlers can slip through an unlocked door in the time it takes to answer the phone. Keep all entrances tothe pool closed and locked. Install a second lock on each door leading to the pool well out of the reach of  a growing toddler's grasp. Door and pool alarms can alert adults of unauthorized access. A see through mesh type fence should completely surround the pool, with a minimum height of 48 inches. This pool safety fence is especially important in separating one's homeand all of it's exits from the pool. When not in use maintain and lock the pool safety fence gate. Keep all climbable objects away from thefence in the event they could enable a toddler to gain access over the fence. Approved pool safety covers can add yet another layer of protection. Perimeter yard fences should have self-closing and self-latching gates.

SWIMMING SAFETY SKILLS SWIMMING SAFETY SKILLS are a vital supplement to supervision and barriers. Even during the water adjustment stageinfants/toddlers who are relaxed in the water and can hold their breath provide their parents a few extra seconds to pick them up out of the water. This is a common scene near pool steps or baby pools where the family is sitting and playing. As the children progress, advanced aquatic abilities can provide a final safety net of protection if an unsupervised water entry should occur. Such skills include jumping in, turning around and swimming back to the side, recovering up for a breath and rolling to the back for a breath.  

INFANT CHILD CPR and first aid certification are needed for all parents and caregivers. Prepare an emergency action plan and in the event of an accident stay calm and react quickly and effectively. Maintain a portable phone by the pool and post emergency numbers including 911 on all phones. Keep all toys etc. out of the pool when not inuse. Keep tricycles and wheel toys out of the pool area. It is never too soon to teach your child pool rules. Such as never entering the water without mommy or daddy.

Under the direction of famed swimming personality and Olympic Swim Coach Laurie Lawrence, Queensland, Australia has instituted a "Keep Kids Alive Program" to reduce the incidences of drowning in Eastern Australia. The program is working. Laurie known for his down to earth folk songs has written the following verseto remind parents and care givers of their responsibility to their children in regard towater safety. His song is entitled "Keep Kids Alive and Do the Five."

Keep Kids Alive and Do the Five ...

Fence the pool

Shut the gate

Teach your kids to swim - its Great !

Supervise-watch your mate

Learn to resuscitate.

Mime the rhyme to survive

and Keep Kids Alive.